nita4 said:
Leviticus 19:28 (New International Version)
28 " 'Do not cut your bodies for the dead or put tattoo marks on yourselves. I am the LORD.
OK, so I read the other threads regarding this topic of piercing and tatooing...I just have some questions, and I guess comments, sort of
As far as the Old Testiment scriptures like the one metioned above...Do you all believe that everything in the Old Testament is meant for us to follow to the exact letter now? I DO believe that the Bible was inspired of God. However, I feel that there was context around why God made certain rules for certain groups of people then. It seems that with the Bible at times there is a lot of picking and choosing regarding what we should attribute to following in todays times. And in the New Testament a lot of the later books were letters written to certain churchs to address certain issues that that particular church was dealing with. However, what is your thoughts on if we are expected to take those in a global sense, and apply it as rule for every Christian now?
I personally have 2 tatoos, 5 holes in one ear and 3 on the other (which I let all but 2 holes close up), had a tongue ring (took it out though 5 years ago), had my belly button peirced (when I got pregnant, took it out, and the hole closed up). If I am being truly honest, yes I did these things at the times I did them because that is just what I wanted to do. Not because it was a fade and I was trying to be like the world, but because I liked it and wanted it (like when you see someone with bangin hair color and like it and try to get it too). My last tatoo which I got a year ago was a rose in honor of my grandmother whose name was Rosa and died. My tatoos I got was never done for display. Most people I know don't even know I have them (they are on my sholder blades). When my tongue was peirced, my dad never knew for 6 months, and never knew until someone pointed it out to him. Now I never thought that having these things would increase my witnessing potential, or hurt it for that matter.
I guess I think it is a shame that people stereotype people because of these things, and then label them as being "off the world". Who picks and chooses what is of the world and not of the world. I believe that I have a very deep relationship with Christ and that he doesn't look at my body and frown, but looks at my heart and smiles.
I'm just wondering what y'all thoughts are.
And just to note...I personally don't think that it matters if you do or don't have these things...I believe that if you have a personal conviction about it, then maybe you should refrain. However, if you don't, then that is between you and God.
so maybe I need to start doing this more often.
